High-rise office buildings, apartment buildings and the like are typically equipped with a fire escape which includes interior or exterior stairs that span the entire height of the building. In emergency situations, the stairs provide a means of egress for persons to escape the building unharmed. However, fire escape stairs may not enable persons to escape a building in emergency conditions in a sufficiently rapid manner to avoid harm. This may be particularly the case for the infirm and others who are physically unable to successfully and safely negotiate the stairs to the ground.
Accordingly, a fire escape system which enables rapid escape from a building during a fire or other emergency is needed.